When I graduate from college I will be working in the American media. I'm fully aware of the American Beauty Standard and the changes it's made in the past 50 - 60 years. However whenever the topic of the American Beauty Standard comes up people think I'm talking from my own insecurities. Honestly, if I really gave a frack about the American Beauty Standard I'd be a nervous, anorexic wreck. (I'm not thrilled to be the size that I am, but I'm not so fixated on this standard that I'm going to extremes to meet it)
Lets say the conversation starts out being about, idk, cast directing and how physical appearance can affect whether you get the part or not. I'll start throwing out facts that I've learned and give real life examples and someone will chime in and say, "But you gotta be cool with who you are." True, you have to be fine with who you are, but them picking you isn't about how you see yourself (outside of exuding confidence). From there someone will make a comment about how I (personally) should be happy about who I am regardless of my weight. HOLD UP! When did this become about me?!
When I was a college freshman I did an experiment for sociology about this type of thing thinking I'd be bold and do something no one else dared to do. My teacher was REALLY excited, like I was about to make a wonderful scientific breakthrough or something. I knew I wasn't but I figured that I would get great results. Outside of the fact I didn't go with my gut for this experiment that made it suck dealing with people who had little sideways comments about me appearance and how shallow they thought the experiment was annoyed me.
I know that certain information is better received depending on who's giving the information and what the receiver thinks about the person giving the information. For instance a person who can barely sing can tell someone, "You're not supposed to push in order to get the note out. Pushing is not your friend." and not be believed, but when a vocal coach says it they're believed.
A little boy can call 911 and say, "My mom is on the floor and she's not moving," and not be believed, while an adult can say the same thing and have an ambulance at their door. (Yes this really happened. It was all over the news a few years ago.)
Likewise, when someone who the general public would think isn't happy with how they look (whether the person actually is or isn't is irrelevant right now) talks about a beauty standard they are not taken seriously and are thought to be speaking personally. However when a celebrity or someone who's well known and knows about a beauty standard they're believed.
:-\
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